Problems with the community fire

[Lady Mousie]

I've literally spent 2 hours reading EVERY post of this thread out loud to my fiance who is playing World of Warcraft at the moment, sorry we're dorks, LOL! All we can say is how many of you have ever been to a motorcycle rally?

Nakedness- I know there's alot of riders who camp at TRF, example a chapter of the Gypsies out of Round Rock. I've been camping at TRF for 10 years now. I actually used to camp right exactly where the drum circle is held and used to fly my stunt kites in what is now a field of tents! We also go to ROT Rally (Republic of Texas Biker Rally), which is now the 2nd largest motorcycle rally in the states. There's about 40,000 campers on grounds with drunken nakedness around every turn. I myself am topless for the entire span, day and night. I saw David Allen Coe and Joan Jett totally topless. People hand out beads like Mardi Gras but I've gotten picky. I just want to enjoy being topless and not covered in 20lbs of dirty beads. The bikers have a ton of respect for the topless ladies and ask if they can take a pic, if they don't ask we don't slow down. But those that don't will be taken care of. For example, last year a group of guys in a golf cart drove by and smacked my booty and I chased them down and beat them with my beads before the people I was with realized what happened. Just imagine a 5'2" topless woman chasing a golf cart then smacking you across the face with a fistfull of beads from behind. There are literally thousands of pictures floating around the internet of me topless, I've actually met some great people because of it. Being topless is totally legal as long as you don't cause a scene. If your dancing topless in a crowd at the drum circle your bound to cause a scene with that many clothed people! At ROT almost everyone is topless or completely naked, men as well as women, so no one is causing a scene.

Theft- The first time at ROT I went I was so scared to leave stuff out because of my past experiences camping at TRF. I've had things stolen at faire, for example a locked cooler that was chained to the RV walked away with the help of some bolt cutters. ROT- we leave everything unlocked and a radio, camera, coolers, and many other things out on a table at our site and don't have to worry. You don't see many kids out there, it costs $45 for a 4 day for a wristband. You have to show your wristband everytime you ride in and out of grounds. Even if your only there for the concerts.

Funds- I know I was upset when they started charging $5 per vehicle for camping at faire, then they raised it to 10. My man and I ride out separate sometimes because I work at faire and he doesn't get out of his mundane job until late. So that's 20 just to start, I have to be there every weekend, and don't want to sleep alone, so that ends up being $400 just for camping! Sometimes I wish I could camp in Participant, considering I am one. Problem is I'd be camping alone because he wouldn't be allowed. So we pay for camping and pay for him to go inside then pay for things inside. Raising the price of camping is not the greatest idea. With the economy crashing and people going into debt left and right if they raise the prices of things at faire much more most of us wont be able to afford it at all, even if we get paid to be there. I have a few friends who come to camp almost every weekend and may go in 2-3 times a season. They make great lookouts when everyone else is in faire and we love them for it!

Safety- Yeah there was a woman who was sleeping inside her tent when a drunk arse ran over her last weekend. She was lucky, very lucky. My question why didn't someone take his keys? I don't think he even got in any trouble. I sleep in a GP Army tent I'm pretty sure it's big enough not to get ran over! I swear it doesn't matter what you do someone will trip over the ropes and yell "Drunk Trap" every weekend. I've tied caution tape all around them and it still doesn't matter.

Last year I found a young raver girl wandering camp drunk and didn't know where she belonged. She was walking up to random people asking them how to get back to her friends. I took her all over the place until I finally found where she was camped and told her friends if I see her unattended again I'll knock her out drag her back and then beat them too for letting her out of their site again. I saw her the next night and she freaked out when I turned around 2 inches from her face. "My friends are right here. I promise I'm not doing that again. I'm sorry and thank you for watching over me." Her boyfriend was very sincere in his apology since they had been arguing when she ran off. It kills me to think of what could have happened to her. Even though it was a pain it was interesting meeting alot of new people taking her from camp to camp asking "Does she belong to you?" I wander the campground alone at times myself but I am not unarmed. It is legal to carry a pocket knife no longer than the width of a mans hand.

Most important thing, just as our BrigaQueen states, watch out for your fellow campers and don't be afraid to call in the authorities! Bad boys, Bad Boys! Whatcha gonna do when they come for you? LOL!

I can't wait to get out there tomorrow, the weather is great! 

[PurpleDragon]

Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.

I thought the saying was "Beauty is in the eye of the BEER Holder".

~runs and ducks quickly out of sight~

[PyroMaster]

Lady Mousie:

  *applause*

I love your attitude.

[Brother Octavius]

I like our local ren fest police officer, he has handled problems for the Brothers in the past, quickly in all cases.

[Spanish_Peacock]

Well, changes are being made out at camp.

They are checking for tickets again at the camp entrance!

This is not a panacea but it is a start, more fun and less b*llshit I say!

[Lady Mousie]

So I was just informed they're checking tickets because of all the drama. I have a few great friends who can't get in because they can't afford to buy tickets this weekend. It's called being on a budget. They camp close and watch camp when we're working inside. This is not the way to go about things. Just as someone said before Ravers will buy a ticket and keep it for the whole season. Just as I will now escort my friend in since I have a season's worth of undated tickets off the internet I bought at a discounted price last year. Ggrrrr. Why did people have to start all this drama? It's not going to help anything, complaining is only going to end up getting camping shut down.

My question- being a participant do I need a ticket? I have it but that's not the point...

[Spanish_Peacock]

A few years ago the officers would not let you into patrons camp with a participants ID, ticket only.
They would even tell you to go camp inside but this time who knows.
We shall see.

[SirRichardBear]

Are they selling tickets at the gate like they did five or six years ago when I started camping? 

[Tanyor]

Yeah someone said that. I think if you can find a Randalls, HEB, Market basket, or Woodforest national bank they sell them too. 18 dollars or 21 at the gate.

[brigaqueen1]

Well this is going to piss me off to no end if I can't get in the camp ground tomorrow morning without a ticket. I work inside, but camp at the patrons camp. I prefer to camp in patron's camp because we don't have to follow "lights out" at midnight and be super quiet when it gets dark.

So...now those of us who are decent campers and rennies are going to be turned away without a ticket? We are also on a budget..if we weren't we'd buy tickets and go in the front gate.

Just great...

[Zaubon]

Just to throw a little gasoline on the fire, requiring tickets is a response that a lot of people have thought might help control a situation that is spiralling out of control, without increasing expenses for King George.
I am sympathetic to those that cannot afford to enter faire every time they want to camp, but I'm also sympathetic to the people that have had vast amounts of valuables stolen by people that have no interest in faire and just see us a willing victims. I hope it does something that controls the problems that, if not soon corrected will result in serious injuries and lawsuits that will close camping to all of us.

[Lord Duelist]

A few years ago the officers would not let you into patrons camp with a participants ID, ticket only.
They would even tell you to go camp inside but this time who knows.
We shall see.

I don't see what that really accomplishes. I would like to think that participants are not, as a rule, the troublemakers, and certainly at TRF they would not last long if they were.

[brigaqueen1]

I totally agree with you Lord Duelist. I am by no means a trouble maker. I go to TRF every season, every single weekend. And I will agree that maybe having to have a ticket to enter the campground might deter some of the riff raff, but to keep out participants who want to camp out in patrons camp instead of inside the faire? I don't think that's fair. And this won't keep out all the ravers, trouble makers, etc. If they want in bad enough, they will get in. Like I said before...they will buy tickets, get into camp and just sell the tickets and get their money back. Or, buy one ticket, not go inside faire, that way every weekend, they have their way in.

I stick with what I said before...basically, you extinguish the light, and the moths will gather elsewhere. Do away with the drum circle.

[Lord Duelist]

And this won't keep out all the ravers, trouble makers, etc. If they want in bad enough, they will get in. Like I said before...they will buy tickets, get into camp and just sell the tickets and get their money back. Or, buy one ticket, not go inside faire, that way every weekend, they have their way in.

Two problems, two solutions:

1. Mark the ticket used to get into camp, so they can only be used for that purpose for one weekend.

2. Ban the resale of TRF tickets on TRF property. Why the heck are they allowing that to begin with?

[brigaqueen1]

I would think it would be hard to stop the reselling of tickets. There was one season, jeez...looooong time ago I wasn't able to go in the last Sunday, and sold my ticket to someone.  I mean yeah they could theoretically mark the tickets per weekend, OR like they do with the camping passes for the cars, date them or color code them to match the car passes. That would make it real hard for them to reuse the same ticket for the next 7 weekends.

But, my husband isn't able to get to camp until like 8 pm on Saturdays. So, from now on he has to buy a ticket every Saturday. And he has a pass, so it's just wasting our money.